REAP helps customers on fixed incomes pay energy bills

Ross and his wife, Mila, are seniors who live on a fixed income. So when medical bills began stacking up, they didn’t see a way they could keep up with expenses, including their monthly energy bill. Fortunately, they learned from friends about the Residential Energy Assistance Partnership (REAP) at their local senior center. REAP is a partnership of CPS Energy, the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, and provides bill assistance up to $200 twice a year to customers in need.

“Every Thursday, we have representatives from Bexar County that come and meet with our clients in the Converse and Randolph area to apply for REAP,” said Jay Higginson, executive director of the Greater Randolph Area Service Program (GRASP). “We see about 2,500 to 2,700 families from our area every year seeking utility assistance.”

Check out the video to learn more about REAP:

Recently, our 75th Anniversary fundraiser luncheon raised an estimated $200,000 for REAP. You also can donate to REAP. Just add a few dollars to your next energy bill and indicate that amount on your bill stub, whether you pay online or by mail. Or use PayPal to make a donation. Check out cpsenergy.com for more details.

“(Customers who donate) need to know that they’re partnering with one of our families that are struggling,” said Jay. “It could be their neighbor. It could be their best friend. It could even be their own extended family members.”

Last year, more than 7,300 customers benefited from REAP for a total of $2,153,183. CPS Energy donates $1 million to REAP every year.